Non-slip surface coatings

Abstract

Rounded quartz sand particles (22) are each enclosed in a hardenable resin skin (23) which is integrated with the skins on adjacent particles and which creates a binding of the particles to a primed base (20, 21). A significant fraction of the particles may be remote from the base and only integrated with adjacent particles so that a contoured or embossed effect is created to provide a supplementary non-slip feature. In a process for forming such a surface coating the particles are wetted with a functional liquid, mixed with a binder related to the functional liquid and sprayed. The spraying process is powered by a progressive cavity pump (37) with a selection of particle/resin ratio such that the pump operates under a Sigma effect.

We claim: 
     
       1. A process for making a product having a non-slip surface comprising the steps of: (a) taking a non-slip particulate material in the form of particles of rounded shape and wetting and mixing it with a binder to create a flowable composition which is hardenable with time when applied as a film; and   (b) spraying the composition with a progressive cavity pump on to a base so that the particles of the non-slip materials are caused to engage both with the base and with contiguous particles through the medium of a skin which hardens with time and which, on the surface of the product, closely follows the outline of the surface exposed particles of the non-slip material.   
     
     
       2. A process according to claim 1 in which the particles are of rounded quartz sand in the grade range of 0.3 mm to 2.0 mm. 
     
     
       3. A process according to claim 1 in which a fraction of the particles engage only with adjacent particles and not with the base so that a contour or emboss is set up. 
     
     
       4. A process according to claim 1 in which the particulate material is of two or more visually differing materials and the skin is transparent so that a decorative non-slip surface is obtained. 
     
     
       5. A non-slip product made by the process of claim 1 and comprising a base (20, 21) having thereon non-slip particulate material of rounded shape, the particles (22) thereof being enclosed by a skin (23) which is integrated with the skins on adjacent particles and which has created a binding of the particles with the base, and the particles being stacked to add a contour which is in excess of that inherent from particle profiles. 
     
     
       6. A textured decorative product made by the process of claim 1 and comprising a wall having thereon rounded abrasive particulate material, the particles (22) thereof being enclosed by a skin (23) which is integrated with the skins on adjacent particles and which has created a binding of the particles with the wall, and the particles being stacked to add a contour which is in excess of that inherent from particle profiles.